


The Vigil

by dragonflyMerri



Category: Merlin (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-23
Updated: 2012-03-23
Packaged: 2017-11-02 10:17:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/367884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonflyMerri/pseuds/dragonflyMerri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Merlin gets ill, Arthur and the knights realize how important he is to them all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Vigil

“MERLIN!!” The door to Gaius’ workshop slammed open and a very irate Arthur stood in the doorway.  
“Gaius – have you seen my worthless…”  
“Shhhhh!!” Gaius glared at Arthur, a finger to his lips.  
Arthur was completely taken aback “Did you just ‘shhh’ me??”  
“Yes I did” Gaius whispered “And keep you voice down! Merlin’s sleeping.”  
“Sleeping??!!” Arthur totally ignored Gaius’ directive to keep his voice down. “What the hell is he doing sleeping? He was supposed to bring me my breakfast an hour ago and now I’ve slept in and I’m late for the training field and I still haven’t had my breakfast!”  
“For goodness sakes, will you please be quiet!” Gaius scolded him. “I’ve only just now got Merlin to sleep. He’s been up all night with a very bad stomach and a headache.”  
Arthur snorted but lowered his voice “What did he do – spend to long in the tavern? Eat too many sour apples?”  
“You know very well he wasn’t in the tavern last night. When he came back here, he was feeling poorly, complaining of a bad headache. He hardly ate any supper and went straight to bed. I woke up to hear him throwing up his supper – and he’s been throwing up all night, which is not helping his headache any.”  
‘Well did you give him anything for it?”  
“Of course I did! But he’s not keeping anything down long enough for my medicine to have any effect.”  
“So – he’s really sick?”  
“He is, and I don’t know what it is.” Worry laced Gaius’ voice. “He’s wearing himself out with the constant throwing up, but I’m more concerned about the headache. It gets worse and worse with every bout and even light hurts his eyes.”  
“Can I see him?” Arthur was now alarmed at how worried Gaius was.  
Gaius hesitated then nodded, holding up a finger in warning “But don’t you dare wake him up!”

****

Arthur entered Merlin’s room as quietly as possible. A single candle burned, set off into the corner as far from the bed as possible. The window had been covered to hide the daylight. In the gloom, Merlin lay curled on his side, a frown of pain on his pale face. His blanket was tangled around his hips and he shivered in the cold, his arms wrapped around him.  
Arthur gently untangled the blanket and pulled it up around Merlin’s thin shoulders. Merlin let out a faint moan and his eyes fluttered open, dulled with pain. A sudden look of panic crossed his face and he lurched to the side of the bed. Arthur grabbed the basin and thrust it under Merlin just in time for Merlin to be violently ill.  
“Gaius!!” Arthur called out in alarm.  
Merlin finished throwing up and lay back on the bed clutching his head. He gritted his teeth against the pain but couldn’t stop a moan of agony from escaping. A solitary tear traced its way along his cheek.  
Arthur took the cloth from the bedside table. He gently pulled Merlin’s hands down from his head and wiped his face.  
Gaius entered, holding more medicine.  
“He was sick again,” Arthur said, not looking away from his task of wiping Merlin’s brow.  
“Damn, I was hoping it had passed. We need to get this serum into him – it will help his headache.” Gaius mixed the liquid in a cup and water and approached the bed.  
“Hold him up Arthur so I can give this to him.”  
Arthur shifted to sit on the bed, then tucked his hands under Merlin’s shoulders and propped him up to lean against his chest. Merlin groaned in protest.  
“Merlin, you need to drink this” Gaius said softly. “It will help your headache.”  
Gaius held the cup to Merlin’s lips and let the liquid trickle in. Merlin turned his head in protest and Arthur immediately stroked his brow, lightly turning his head back to accept the cup. “Come on Merlin, you need to drink your medicine,” he coaxed soothingly.  
Gaius managed to get the rest of the dose into Merlin before Merlin again turned his head and nestled it in Arthur’s chest.  
“That should help calm his headache. Now if I could just find something for his…”  
Gaius was interrupted by Merlin abruptly and forcefully throwing up both the medicine and any remaining stomach fluids, all over Arthur’s lap.  
Gaius was horrified. “Merlin!…..Sire….” he reached for the cloth to dab at Arthur’s trousers.  
“Leave it, Gaius.” Arthur tenderly laid Merlin back down on the bed. “Give him another dose – he has to keep some of the medicine in him to work.”  
The two men worked together to slowly drizzle the medicine into Merlin, and this time he kept it down.  
“Sire, your trousers, I’m sorry about that, Merlin…”  
“It’s alright, Gaius, just take care of Merlin.”  
Gaius stretched out a kink and yawned. “Hopefully the medicine will work and he’ll sleep for awhile. I could use some sleep too. It was a long night - for both of us.”  
The two left Merlin’s room, leaving the door slightly ajar in case he called out.  
“Gaius, get some rest. I’ll just go and change, then I’ll come and sit with him.”  
“Arthur, I can’t ask you to do that.”  
“You’re not asking, I’m telling. Leave his medicine and instructions by his bedside, and I’ll sit with him while you sleep. I’ll let it be known that you are only to be disturbed in an emergency.”  
“Thank you Arthur. Merlin is lucky to have you watching over him.”

****

During every break, Arthur watched over Merlin, holding his head when he was sick, wiping his brow to sooth his headache, holding him up to take his medicine. It worried him more than he cared to admit that Merlin was not getting better. The knights noticed Merlin’s absence and Arthur’s preoccupation, and soon they were joining him in checking on Merlin and helping with his care. For three days and nights, Camelot seemed to revolve around Merlin’s room.

****

Merlin slowly emerged back to consciousness. His head felt like it was wrapped in a hundred layers of wool. His stomach ached from the strain of so much heaving. His lips were dry and cracked and he was so thirsty. Cracking open sleep heavy eyes, he tried to focus, then frowned. Oh God, now he was hallucinating. How else could there be three knights sitting on the floor playing dice. Merlin closed his eyes and groaned.  
He felt a cool hand on his brow.  
“Merlin lad, are you coming back to us now?”  
Opening one eye, he saw Gwaine leaning over him, concern written all over his face.  
“Thirsty,” Merlin managed to croak out in a voice horse and raw from his sickness.  
The bed settled under a weight, then Merlin felt arms slip under him and lift his shoulders, his head supported on Gwaine’s arm. A cup was placed on his lips and tilted. The cool water felt so good on his raw throat, he drank the whole cup.  
“More” he begged, eyes closed from exhaustion.  
“Not right now, lad. Let’s see if you can keep this down first.”  
Merlin was lowered back on the bed and the blanket pulled up under his chin. He wanted to protest but instead fell back asleep.

****

When next he opened his eyes, Leon was wiping his brow with a cool cloth. Merlin looked up at him uncomprehendingly. Leon smiled down at him. “Do you want some more water?”  
Merlin nodded, and instantly regretted the move.  
This time it was Leon who supported his shoulders while he drank, and Leon who gave him the second cup. He lowered Merlin back on the bed and gently brushed his hair off his forehead. “You gave us quite a scare Merlin.”  
Merlin frowned and his confused gaze slid past Leon to see Elyan, Gwaine and Percival sitting on the floor, leaning against the far wall. He looked back up at Leon “What?…” he croaked.  
“You’ve been very ill, Merlin. We’re just keeping an eye on you.”  
Merlin’s eyes searched to room then back to Leon. “Arthur?” he whispered.  
“Arthur was called away to see the King. But he’s been here with you most of the time.”  
Merlin frowned.  
“Arthur will be back as soon as he can. He’ll be happy to know you’re getting better.”  
Merlin looked up at Leon. He sure didn’t feel better – he was completely exhausted, his stomach ached and his head felt about three times its normal size.  
“Sleep now” he said as he slid back into unconsciousness.

****

When Merlin woke up again, Arthur was sitting by his bedside, elbows resting on his knees as he studied the floor between his feet.  
“Arthur?” Merlin’s voice was a husky whisper.  
“Merlin!” Relief was evident in Arthur’s voice. Without asking, he moved onto the bed and lifted Merlin’s shoulders up to support him. Then he reached for the cup and held it to Merlin’s lips. Merlin drank greedily, draining the cup. “Do you want some more?”  
Merlin nodded, and watched as Elyan refilled the cup, then he drained that cup too. He relaxed back into Arthur’s chest.  
“Feeling better? You gave us all a hell of a scare, Merlin.”  
Merlin looked at the knights, now standing around smiling down at him.  
“Why are you all here?” he murmured.  
Arthur settled Merlin back on the bed and adjusted his covers. “Merlin, it may surprise you to know this, but turns out you’ve become an essential part of this group. We were all concerned about you and this just seemed to be a good place to hang out and watch over you.”  
“Don’t need watching over. Just a bit tired”  
Gwaine squatted down beside the bed so he was eye-level with Merlin.  
“Merlin, old friend. It just made us feel better to keep a watch over you, OK?”  
Merlin nodded and smiled a shy smile at Gwaine.  
“Thank you.”  
“So, you think you might rejoin us in the land of the living?” asked Gwaine with a wink.  
Merlin nodded, then reconsidered. “Maybe after a bit of sleep.” His eyes closed and his body relaxed into a deep healing sleep.

****

The next time he woke up he decided he would probably live. He still felt weak and his head still hurt, but at least he didn’t feel like dying. He tried to sit up, then noticed Arthur sitting by his bed. Arms crossed and head resting on his chest, Arthur was sound asleep. The bed creaked and Arthur was instantly awake.  
“Merlin!” he leaped up to help support Merlin as he struggled to sit up. “You shouldn’t get up, you’re still weak.”  
“Have to.” Merlin was breathless from the effort just to sit up.  
“I’ll get you whatever you need.” Arthur tried to press him back into the bed. “What do you want?”  
Merlin looked considerably embarrassed. “Have to pee,” he whispered.  
“Oh. Right. Well….GAIUS!!!” Arthur held Merlin up while he called out in a bit of a fluster.  
When Gaius entered Merlin’s chamber, Arthur informed him that Merlin had to pee.  
“Excellent! – oh that is good news my boy!” exclaimed Gaius with a delight that was far to extreme for such a normal body function.  
“Um – I just have to pee,” Merlin was mortified at the fuss being made.  
“But that’s an excellent sign, it means all your functions are back.”  
Arthur transferred Merlin’s support to Gaius then headed for the door “I’ll just wait out here while you….um…I’ll just wait out here.” Then he closed the door behind him.  
Merlin looked up at Gaius, his eyes full of questions.  
“Arthur has been beside himself with worry about you, my boy. He’s been here day and night, sitting with you.”  
Gaius supported Merlin as he stood, which was for about three seconds before Merlin swayed and sank to his knees.  
“Oh, well. This will probably work a bit better for you.” Gaius stammered as he hauled the chamber pot out from under the bed. “Um…do you need….help?”  
Merlin turned to him, horrified “What? No! No, I can do this myself.  
“Right then.” Gaius left Merlin to do his business while he straightened up the bed. “You know Arthur stayed with you right through the worst of your sickness. Held your head when you were sick, wiped you down when your fever broke. Helped me administer your medicine.”  
Merlin finished and struggled to his feet. Gaius was beside him in an instant and helped him back into bed. “Arthur never even flinched when you threw up all over him,” he said conversationally.  
“I…what? I threw up on Arthur?” Merlin was horrified.  
“Oh yes, all over his lap. But Arthur just kept hold of you until you had finished, then laid you back on the bed and wiped your face.”  
“Oh God!” Merlin closed his eyes in true mortification.  
Gaius smiled at him. “Arthur is a true friend, Merlin. I think even he learned that while you were ill.” He picked up the chamber pot and headed to the door.  
“Why were the knights here?” Merlin called after him.  
“They kept dropping in to see how you were. It was such a nuisance that I finally just let them stay, as long as they didn’t wake you up. It allowed me to get some sleep, knowing they were there to keep an eye on you.”  
“But why were they here?”  
“Merlin, I suspect you have more friends then you are aware of. I’ll let Arthur back in.”  
When Arthur reentered the room, Merlin looked at him with true humility.  
“Feeling better now?” Arthur asked conversationally, taking his seat by the bed.  
“Much better.” Merlin studied his blanket with a furious concentration. “Um….Gaius told me that I ….um…I threw up on you. I’m really sorry.”  
“Don’t worry about it Merlin, you were rather desperately ill at the time. Just don’t make a habit of it, OK?”  
Merlin looked up startled and saw Arthur looking at him with a smirk on his face. “Besides, it gives me yet one more thing to hold over you.”  
“Oh God!” Merlin pulled the blanket up over his head and heard Arthur burst into laughter.  
“It’s good to have you back Merlin!”


End file.
